Tuesday, December 13, 2011

JUNE 24 2019 ADDED NOTE: ALL POSTS PRIOR TO THIS DATE ARE ARCHIVED FROM 2011 AND EARLIER - AND WILL NOT HAVE WORKING LINKS TO THE PODCASTS Essential listening to understand what's going on in Winnipeg? You betcha.Start with contrasting the state of the subjects on Winnipeg radio to our hyperlocal, relevant, informed content and style; how you'll be able to get involved with TGCTS thru our new website; then we enumerate our latest dozen followers (@TGCTS, it's booming!) on Twitter including United Way Winnipeg, Ottawa radio show The Album Drop, Cash Mob Winnipeg and Pulitzer Prize nominee, sportswriter Dave Kindred.

It's fascinating to watch the scope of awareness about our work spread across the continent, which sets up...

A Lesson in Journalism.

We examine the Twitterchat about the Jets licence plates, the Metro News story about Osborne House and their wish list and the issue of donor fatigue. How it relates to the CTV Late night news is part two.

Perhaps suffering from compartmentalization they missed a key point in their TV stories - with the Salvation Army and Indian Metis Friendship Centre being a combined $35,000 off the required donation pace for annual Christmas meals and gifts for the less fortunate, this issue of donor fatigue is now the elephant in the room in our city after the pet projects of millionaires sucked obscene amounts of dollars out of our community. (Remember, your favorite Museum is still panhandling for another $20 million. )

Also we reveal that Osborne House CEO Barb Judt is marching down to city hall later this week with a few messages for the Mayor and council.

Thursday, December 8, 2011

This powerful episode, recorded live on location, explains more background and ties together media reports about Red River College's privacy law woes, the scrambling of the CMHR plans to hire staff and open on - well it isn't on time cause it was already late - and their "Orwellian" question and answer exercise; and lastly, what happened at city hall when the Downtown Parking Plan was rubber-stamped with no regard for the unconnected common folk who are being denied input.

This is the third neighborhood this week to report an absence of fair treatment by city "planning".

Listen for an online comment about the difference between Coun. Eadie's tirade about his own backyard and the silence of councillors when other areas get steamrolled by city processes.

We explain how this ties in to the launch of a new website next week, and why the general public needs resources like our Podcast and our coverage of city hall, the Legislature, and local blogs to help them stand up to decision-makers and hold them accountable. Listen for how you can be part of the next stage.

Plus :- more on homicides number 36 and 37,- a Level 5 car thief tries to injure cops twice,- the price of cocaine in Winnipeg plummets, and- are the HA's picking up stakes?

A newspaper columnist and a local clothing designer now follow us on Twitter- you'll hear who they are!

2) Revisiting previous stories -- The unexplained (by MSM) reasons why the NDP had to roll out a 511 emergency communications system - it's a 4 letter word; Bernie Bellan raises the issue of the responsibility of the WRHA and Health Dept. bureaucrats in the death of Simkin Centre resident Lilyan Peck; and the Free Press estimate of the enormous cost of the bribe paid (in the form of higher wages and pensions) at the back end of the wage freeze the NDP arranged with their union friends.

3)The amazing analysis of Bob Axford on March 12, 2007, that the proclamations of then police Chief Ewatski and Mayor Katz about how their version of Crimestat would emulate US successes was a con job on the public. Recent blog posts by Menno Zacharias and Rae Butcher seem to back up Axford's hypthesis.

Plus a rundown of recent near-killings and robberies involving teenagers, the jail time for a rampage last summer on downtown bike riders by a fledgling gangster, an excellent court report from James Turner about a 53 x arrested for intoxication downtown vagrant and what should be done about him, my comparison of that case to recently arrested and intoxicated 'homeless hero' Faron Hall, the biggest example of why the NDP has failed to protect not only the public, but the perp (from himself);

Friday, November 25, 2011

- Ignored the obvious questions about political bias and self-serving agendas that infected the presentations to 16,000 schoolchildren at We Day. TGCTS culled Twitter and the parliamentary record to bring you the other side of the story beyond the hype, about the event itself and the sorry history of former Prime Minister Paul Martin who pretended to now be the champion of aboriginal needs.

- Ignored the travesty of the Diamond Lane ticket trap on southbound McPhillips at Inkster, even with news cameras filming bewildered motorists getting tagged when the buses-only priority is not in effect. City Hall directed a cop to answer our listener Outlaw Adam Knight, who took the issue to Mayor Sam Katz and is keeping our audience in the loop.

- Ignored the disconnect between the Court of Queen's Bench on what would be acceptable conduct to "reasonable members" of the public and what a normal person would think actually went on, when the Labradoodle trial was compromised by a provincial Court judge's actions and a motion for his dismissal was rejected. We were there.

Plus: updates on the disruption of the Downtown Biz safety forum, the PC leadership race-to-be, the latest violent incident near the Air Canada building on Portage, and an arrest in the shooting of a 14 year old boy in the face last month - and a translation of the McCaskill-approved press release into plain English.

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Today's podcast marks the 5th year of The Great Canadian Talk Show serving the community as the voice of the alternative media. The support of so many people, from all political stripes and opinions, and from the mainstream media, bloggers, world of business and academia, and supporters of free speech, is gratefully acknowledged.

Our focus on this episode is the colouring book-like booklet distributed to the media on short notice last Friday by Winnipeg police chief Keith McCaskill, long on fluff and filler like:

“The fact that you’re planning is more important than the plan."

As I said to the classes I spoke to, if a Grade 10 student tried to regurgitate self-serving quotes and artsy pictures in a class project like McCaskill did, they would be awarded an F.

Forced by statistical fact of an increase in violent crime to croon a Petula Clark hit to explain where he intends to target resources - hello Stefano Grande - McCaskill adopted what could be a new phone number representing the lowball targets he has for a crime-reduction strategy - 9-3-3 - for approval at city hall "where normally supportive politicians damned the long-awaited plan with faint praise."

The Free Press also reported on how the presentation did not address breaking the backs of gangs "that seem to invade every safe space" by going after "the kingpins"; nor did the material explain how the Chief wants to work with the MLCC to address alcohol-fueled violence after working WITH the Liquor czars to pursuade the NDP to expand the hours socials held in neighborhood halls can sell booze.Rounding out the show is a recap of two accounts from the blogosphere of last week's Downtown Biz safety forum being hijacked by anti-cop, anti- Biz anarchists:

Friday, November 18, 2011

(Thanks for alerting us, the audio link has been fixed) On Remembrance Day, I was out with one of our close friends and sponsors, TJ Bratt of Double D Snow Removal (call 805-3555, he'd want me to remind you). As we drove down a quiet street in St. Boniface, what looked like a white rocket crossed the road about a block ahead of us. Naturally, as intrepid reporters and curious Georges, we set off in pursuit.

What we found was the debut of a unique form of transportation to Winnipeg and a most affable driver.

In this special podcast, you'll meet the owner of the first Velomobile on our streets, who has taken his love of cycling to a whole new level. Josh, (not to be confused with our longtime associate Young Josh, now of APTN) is a longtime resident of Southeast Winnipeg and although a believer in active transportation, has never been aligned with the militant bike lobby.

Rather, he went about his hobby quietly and decided to invest his hard-earned savings from his job as a shipper/receiver in the most unique, cool, self-propelled vehicle imaginable, the Sunrider model manufactured in the Netherlands.

Josh describes his personal background, the reasons why he decided to buy it, the physical demands of this style of cycling, and his hopes to add sponsorships to the fibreglass hull and perhaps make guest appearances at local events and for worthy causes to help him defray the costs. He sat in for the entire show and it was a pleasure to be able to host him in the studio.

Also on today's show - Josh helps list who was hitting up our blog (thank you potty-mouth Pat Martin!) and the shout-outs to our newest followers on Twitter - including Manitoba's Top Employers, social media ace Erica Glasier, and Destiny Watt of city hall.

And speaking of city hall...You will hear our analysis of how councillors betrayed the working class, seniors and the poor when "leadership" at city council was re-defined as ditching all public consultation to hike bus fares by 400% more than was originally asked for, thanks to the allegedly spontaneous brainstorm of Deputy Mayor Justin Swandel to fund rapid transit ... sort of.The way the vote passed, and who supported it, exposes the deep divide between the marginalized inner city and the arrogant oligarchy at 510 Main that resorted, without shame or guilt or conscience, to procedural trickery to avoid public debate. It was like they sneered "ya, what Pat Martin said" to Winnipeg voters, and ignored their promises to make sure the people had a say after the disaster of bike lanes in 2010.Which members deserve a pat on the back for refusing to go along with anti-democratic tactics? Do we need recall legislation to ensure elected officials do not abuse the public trust or pocketbooks again ? What was said and by whom, in the Twitterverse and on blogs? Listen and get informed.

Also reviewed (speaking of Remembrance Day) is Free Press columnist Dan Lett admitting in a blog post to his surprise (and a few other things) that a U of M student didn't swallow his attacking Mayor Sam Katz again and told him off; and the fierce debate among our Facebook group about who (beside the convicted boy) should be held responsible for the murder of a 14 year old girl stabbed through the mouth while she was passed out drunk. And it ain't Gary Filmon.

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

The numbers tell the tale of a city where thanks to the 12 years of the NDP's "holistic approach" and a clueless police chief, criminals have no fear of cops and think they have a human right to commit crimes.

5 - the number of homicide cases in 2011 with no arrests and seemingly, no leads.

12,13,13,14,14,14,15,16,16,16,16,42 - the ages of their (known) victims. Think about how many teens across the city were terrorized, and the effect on their families and friends.

#33 - the Exchange District drive-by shooting where police are begging for tips.

# 35 - the most recent homicide count, the latest victim is now being canonized as a troubled homeless man found fatally injured in a blazing abandoned apartment block, barely 5 weeks after he himself almost killed an innocent man by bashing his face with a rock.

5 - the number of incidents referenced above that occurred in downtown Winnipeg in the past 7 days, (6 in two weeks if we include killing #33)

- launch an encrypted dispatch system to conceal the number of violent emergency calls from reporters and the public, a technology that so endangered cops on the beat it had to be pulled;

- announce a volunteer-staffed fake initiative to compile complaints about "community issues" like poor street lighting that already never get fixed (why have citizens call 311 directly when now police trained volunteers can do it instead ?) ;

- assign cops to enforce diamond lanes on Saturday mornings in the north end - are the buses being delayed on McPhillips ?? - rather than having them investigate real crimes;

Hnatiuk raised serious issues about the derisive attitude of the Winnipeg Free Press towards citizen journalists, at the same time as they have joined forces with Red River College to administer a $400,000 program via the Winnipeg Foundation to "train" them.

However, the following email from a listener about today's blog post demonstrates that even one year later, the actions of Free Press and Red River College officials and of their corporate radio "partners" masquerading as community representatives on the radio station board of directors, continues to cause deep mistrust in this community towards the MSM and Red River College - and has backfired on FP editor Margo Goodhand, her bossman Bob Cox, and RRC president Stephanie Forsyth.

Hi Graham and Marty,

Graham, your post today was very well written and highlights the arrogance and hypocrisy of some MSM members.

Folks like Mr. Lett are not used to being challenged and as a result instead of engaging the public, resort to ad hominum attacks.

Whether teddybaxter is right on his/her facts or not - he/she is actually a customer of Lett.

All Lett had to do was place his evidence forward and invite teddybaxter to do the same - while keeping his professionalism.

Instead the public is treated to "Behold the wonder of citizen journalism" and accusations of being "birthers" and 911 conspiracy folks.

This is an insult to every single "citizen journalist" and every single person who reads/listens to them (like me).

The MSM is losing the trust of the people that they supposedly serve. As a result those folks are increasingly looking for alternatives.

This scares the MSM because they are losing that exalted space that used to be theirs.

When backed into a corner they lash out.

I'm glad that you reiterated the cancellation of TGCTS. This has dire consequences for all community radio in this city.

If commercial/"elite" interests can get away with it at KICK, you can bet your ass they'll try it again somewhere else. What happened to TGCTS should not be forgotten. These jokers might not like something on your own radio program and all of a sudden there's no room at the inn at UMFM.

This past year has been one hell of an education for myself (and it's not over yet).

"Citizen Journalism" and the "Alternative Media" have never been needed more.

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Thanks to the wonders of our Facebook group, a live edition of TGCTS broke out at the King's Head on Wednesday night and was it fun (if perhaps recorded at a too-quiet setting, live and learn ) !

Notwithstanding the absence of a wireless signal, a fast-paced and wide-ranging discussion ensued with shout-outs to all sorts of Twitterists, guest commentators including Graham Hnatiuk of Progressive Winnipeg, and a rave review of Dr Pepper Barbeque sauce is but a fraction of the fun.

Oh, and the answer to the question from our last Podcast - how many callers did I hang up on at Kick-FM?Lots of opinions, information, naming names galore (Rosemary Vodrey??), and discussion about Winnipeg past and present, and especially plugging Jim Jaworski's work to preserve historic video of this city (lil_zebra@truwinnipeg.org if you have any to contribute), at http://www.youtube.com/user/jaworskij

PS - If you would like to book a live edition of The Great Canadian Talk Show to generate discussion with your group or organization, as a fundraiser, or for your own entertainment, we'd be happy to oblige.REMEMBER THOSE WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR OUR FREEDOM.

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

One year ago today, Osborne House was denied the launch of a $10,000 fundraising campaign on Kick-FM.

The Tuesday podcast returns to the issues surrounding domestic violence in our society that CEO Barb Judt was going to raise a year ago on campus radio - until RRC made the choice to stifle free speech and protect the fiefdoms of their "media partners" by canceling The Great Canadian Talk Show without notice that day, rather than have the story of Manitoba's largest shelter heard and help protect vulnerable women and children.

When she tried to address College officials involved with the Kick-FM board about their arbitrary actions, she was misled, outright lied to, and ignored. The President of Red River College Stephanie Forsyth and her obedient staff of censors "demonstrated insensitivity to Osborne House", says Barb, and they failed to recognize that their own students are among the most common demographic of victims. She appears on TGCTS today to set the record straight as part of Domestic Violence Awareness month.

Listen to Barb explain:

- how dysfunctional childhood backgrounds create volcanic environments for adults- that new technology is enabling more pervasive stalking techniques- the spiraling demand for protective services from new immigrants, who are shunned for refusing to be imprisoned in their homes and beaten- why business owners and managers have a vested interest in raising awareness and funding shelter services to help their employees deal with domestic violence- how the NDP government has finally moved on the funding crisis- why mainstream media shies away from reporting about the issues Barb and her staff deal with every day

The details touched on in this interview about the role OH(@OsborneHouseWPG)serves with children and new Canadians are of utmost importance. This is a podcast that listeners should email to everyone they know, and to elected officials they may not know but who control the public pursestrings.

Also today, Los Angeles homelessness activist/documentarian Mark Horvath (@hardlynormal) - whose speech at CDI College this summer was attended by ZERO MSM reporters, ZERO CEO's and ZERO Downtown Biz representatives - made an observation this weekend about the true test of people who claim they want to help find solutions.

Listeners may also want to send his remark to everyone they know and to elected officials they don't know, it's that good. Some local phony-baloney "leaders" would surely pale at the thought of living up to Horvath's standard.

The shout-outs today include a blogger, musicians, an online radio industry hub, a newspaper rep, and a journalism instructor. Plus news in progress about a planned gathering of our Facebook group members on Wednesday evening.

Monday, November 7, 2011

In lieu of a Podcast today, we are going to take some extra time to prepare a special Tuesday episode marking the one year anniversary of the betrayal of radio listeners (and their own Cre-Comm students) by the anti-citizen journalism, anti-free speech bosses at Red River College.

One of the reasons the media oligarchy, as Scott Price of CKUW describes it, had to find a way to silence the community platform offered to TGCTS by CKIC station manager Rick Baverstock, was our mandate to circulate other sources of opinion and information and to reflect the comments by listeners and readers in our community about the issues and how they are reported on by the mainstream media.

Can you imagine if last November, heading into a provincial election, the public had learned on drive-time campus radio that the largest shelter in Manitoba was rife with mould and needed $1/2 million in repairs, while the Selinger priority was to devote over $30 million to polar bear projects and $40 million for a museum about "human rights" ?

Which media outlet do you think would have asked Greg Selinger why his government underfunded Osborne House and endangered its clients health? Because TGCTS would have.

Then again, we derived not a dime from his government.

The execution of TGCTS on radio wasn't about silencing us in the studio - it was about silencing ALL of you who were being given a voice at a time of day when people would actually be able to listen to their radio, and would want to participate in a professional format that engaged the audience to take action and challenge elected officials for funding the pet projects of millionaires to the hilt while they ignored the daily needs of vulnerable human beings in our community.

We are sure the brown tower bullies at RRC and their loyal "partners" in mainstream radio will want to listen tomorrow to the story told by Barb Judt of Osborne House about domestic violence in this community and the demand for the services her agency provides.

After all, it is the story that they themselves silenced one year ago at Kick-FM because they cared more about their corporate agendas then they did about homeless women and children in Winnipeg and the precarious financial situation of the shelter.

In the meantime, here is a sampling of recent public affairs coverage in the alternative media and feedback we get via email and social media from believers in You Have the Power.

**********Firstly a message posted on our Facebook group from Kristaps:

"Whether you are for, against, curious, or have no idea about the Occupied movement in this city, please come down and talk to us! We are a diverse group of people of various races, religions, educations, careers and views on the the movement. You are always welcome to come sit around the fire and share your opinions, and hear ours. If any of you have been thinking of joining the movement do not procrastinate. Yes the weather is getting cold, but we are preparing for the winter. I am a full time student at U of W, and I hold down a part-time job while still camping out every night. We have food, extra sleeping bags and a communal tent in case you do not have access to any of the materials to get started. Please come and talk!"

To which a listener responded:

"Thursday's podcast was good. Kenny and yourself have good chemistry and you're at your best with someone acting as a foil.

I was really impressed with the way you have treated those on the facebook group supporting "Occupy Winnipeg". It shows your commitment to community engagement

Personally I have no issues with the occupiers as long as they clean up after themselves and leave the park as they found it. At least they are engaging each other and if they are sincere are willing to openly engage anyone who wants to hike down there.

Perhaps members of our government and city council should go and talk around the firepit as well. They may get more accomplished."

And we heard more from our Facebook group after we spread word that an Exchange District business, Ragpickers Anti-Fashion Emporium, was re-structuring for the future:

Kristen wrote:

"CBC french radio was by today, with their film cameras - and the shop was filled with French speaking Victorian Dressed frolickers, from other continents, on their way to party! We live in our own time zone here...its multi-lingual, multi-cultural, multi-dimensional, and filled with uni-bio-philia!!"

**********

An earlier public event, well and deservedly panned by the alternative media, was the CEO Sleepover PR stunt at 201 Portage by the Downtown Biz.

For those who think we were alone in hammering the hypocrites, check out these two pieces from the College press:

"A quick Google search on the subject reveals that most of the conversation regarding the CEO Sleepout is of the chest-beating, back-slapping, self-congratulatory variety. Participants in the Human Library have been far more self-critical"

"I finally just had the chance to read the Jewish post article about downtown and it was fabulous man. Well done. Its completely unbelievable how air Canada is getting blasted and no one is actually talking about the real problem. J"

Plus this view from an eyewitness:

" In my last job, I used to be at work for about 5:30 a.m. Monday thru Friday. I would drive down Ellice and make a right at Garry Street. The first left you can make before Portage Avenue takes you down a small back lane. On Garry and down that back lane was a regular occurring show of sex (orgies included), drug deals and then the individuals who thought they had privacy masturbating in public. If you drove down there and startled one of them, you ran the chance of having someone urinate, throw feces or blow their load onto your vehicle.

I used to park in the underground lot at the TD Center. Because it was heated, individuals used to sneak in on occasion and have sex. There’s nothing like stumbling upon that at the end of the day!"

and we also got the following email from a former resident:

"Good article on the downtown. This is what happens when political correctness takes over."

EDIT: and finally, this quote from a documentarian and activist from Los Angeles; his speech this past summer at CDI College was not deemed worthy of attendance by Winnipeg's CEO's for lack of a ribbon to cut or other similar PR trade-off, I presume.

"every person working in homeless services should spend at least 4 hours (1/2 day) each month on the "front lines". They need to "feel" the real pain of homelessness to better understand people and find solutions to help"

Mark Horvath

*********

Inasmuch as poverty is a frequent issue raised in matters of homelessness and downtown crime, this blog analysis by Brian Gilchrist about how food banks are seeing more 'working poor'

Minimum Wage is part of the problem... Minimum wage went up 5.26% in October, which is over 2% mora than inflation. Minimum wage goes up, businesses that higher unskilled/minimum wage labour, such as those working at grocery stores, have to raise their prices to compensate above and beyond the usual 3% inflation.

Since we are on a variable rate taxation system, and that won't change for the forseeable future, I think the best thing they can do is make the personal tax exemption limit 25% less than minimum wage at full time, which would currently be $15,600, which means low income earners pay tax on just $5,200 per year. Now, I can predict now the socialists in the group will say, WAIT!!! They shouldn't pay tax at all! If they make minimum wage then they should keep all their money.

But, if that was the case, the take-home income for someone earning $30,000 per year would be $21,050, after tax, which is only $250 more than someone on minimum wage who got to keep everything. So everyone, even the lowest earners need to contribute to taxes to keep things fair."

************

One of the news stories we kept the spotlight on for years was the Crocus Fund rip-off. The wrist-slap deal made between the Securities Commission and 8 of the Directors - that ONLY TGCTS looked into the details of - fed public cynicism about what justice means under the NDP:

"The sad thing is the people who are responsible won't get punished."

*******************

Lastly, you may want to occupy a few minutes of your time by taking part in the following process that recognizes true leaders in our community:

"Dear Friends, Family and Colleagues,

As many of you are aware over the past number of years I have been involved in the Future Leaders of Manitoba Council (FLMC). On Thursday, January 26th, 2012, the FLMC will be hosting the Fourth Annual Awards Gala, which honours young Manitoban’s aged 25-39 for their amazing achievements in the areas of Business, Community Service, and The Arts. We are always looking for new talent, and cannot wait to honour Manitoba’s finest once again this year.

If you know someone exceptional, please visit the FLMC website at www.flmc.mb.ca for more information on how to nominate. Each finalist and their nominators will be given 2 tickets to the event, to come and celebrate Manitoba.

Nominations are due on Saturday, December 10th, 2011. All nominators will be entered into a draw to receive 2 tickets to the Winnipeg Jets vs. Anaheim Ducks December 17th hockey game courtesy of FLMC Media sponsor, HOT 103.

Thank you in advance for taking some time out of your day, to honour your friends, family and colleagues by nominating them for one of the exciting and prestigious Future Leaders of Manitoba Awards.

If you have any questions about nominations please feel free to reach me by email at jfarber@qualico.com."

Thursday, November 3, 2011

He contributes a horde of opinions about crime, cops, courts, homicides #33 and 34, gangs, the CFS system, Gordo, his alma mater Red River College, and of course Gary Doer, who, as he points out, at least had charm -- unlike his successor Greg "where's my glass of milk?" Selinger. And city plans for garbage and transit hikes gets a schmeissing as well.

We also discuss upcoming improvements to the TGCTS platforms. It was good to have Kenny in the co-pilot seat again !

Among our shout outs today are to new Twitter followers: @larrystefaniuk and @WHY_music, and to a couple of participants in the Occupy Winnipeg movement who wanted to get messages across to the community.

First this from Kristap to our Facebook group:

Whether you are for, against, curious, or have no idea about the Occupied movement in this city, please come down and talk to us! We are a diverse group of people of various races, religions, educations, careers and views on the the movement. You are always welcome to come sit around the fire and share your opinions, and hear ours. If any of you have been thinking of joining the movement do not procrastinate. Yes the weather is getting cold, but we are preparing for the winter. I am a full time student at U of W, and I hold down a part-time job while still camping out every night. We have food, extra sleeping bags and a communal tent in case you do not have access to any of the materials to get started. Please come and talk!

Media reporting about this shooting was less than optimal, with CBC continuing not to identify racial ID's - (the suspect in the SUV was black in appearance and, as police spinners put it "STALKY"), while Sun TV's Krista Erickson and Nicole Dube both unaware the gang, a Mad Cowz spin off, has been terrorizing Winnipeggers since 2005.

Meanwhile, Gordo outdoes himself by using an unrelated Sunday afternoon mugging of a 17 year old girl by 2 chicks on Watt St. in EK for her IPod, to backstop egghead Rick Linden's fund-more-bureaucrats agenda in Monday's Free Press. The ink-stained wretch and Professor Immobilizer want to heap more dough at "root causes" - like that's gonna stop gangbangers from jacking other teens for their stuff.

Listen in to hear how quality journalism like Gordo's has been greeted by readers ... that's the sound of thousands of people not buying the newspaper anymore according to the official audit.

There was also some confusing contradictions between CBC and the police statement, but apparently there were 2 bear spray-induced robberies of pedestrians by a group of thugs around Osborne St in the Village. The root cause being simply - THEY CAN GET AWAY WITH IT, GORDO.

Today is also time for a round-up of:* Ambassador Gary Doer's visit to the home of NDP-pleasing censorship, Red River College's Creative Communications crew;* the disgraceful attitude of Health Minister Theresa Oswald in Question Period - who cares about 361 cancelled surgeries in 5 months when Gary Filmon can be blamed?; * Kevin Chief being turned into a prop so Erin Selby can act all Ministerial instead of doing what he was elected to do, stick up for the people of Point Douglas and ask real questions in the House.

Lastly, the issues of Occupy Winnipeg seems to befuddle Mayor Katz, who wonders what these people occupying Memorial Park are about.

Monday, October 31, 2011

When the best the police chief can do is add 2 cops to the chase for clues in three weekend shootings, and admits he had not even a thought that the Halloween weekend might, just might, end with gunshots, blood, and death after last years' triple shooting, Winnipeg has a serious crime fighting problem -- right at the top.

We also review another blogger/columnist, Colin Fast, who today agreed with our long-standing position that leaders from minority communities have to become engaged in the discussion about public safety solutions because politicians keep acting like, well ... :

"Is it possible that all the shiny new toys in town are masking some of our real, serious problems? After all, it’s more fun to cut the ribbon on a fancy new development than cut the police tape on a crime scene."

Speaking of ribbon-cutters et al, the folks from the "Air Canada was wrong, its just a perception of crime" crowd tried to regroup in response to the Winnipeg homicide record being tied at 34.

Firstly was the guy who only weeks ago said of downtown crime, that his reading of statistics indicated "there was not much going on."

FP readers online comments indicate great scepticism at the new mantra "we can do it!"of resident local tall forehead, U of M professor Rick Linden, whose solution to car theft treated drivers - and not car thieves - as criminals. He now wants to help dictate a "crime master plan" needing more funding for the failed social engineering programs the NDP love to blow tax dollars on.http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/crime-can-be-stopped-professor-132905283.html

Meanwhile the beleaguered, Crimestat--defending Downtown Biz, was forced to pretend to be doing something and demonstrate it really cares when it comes to consulting the public about crime.

"“We all have a role to play in the revitalization of our downtown, so come on down and speak up!Have your voice heard!” Stefano Grande, Executive Director of the Downtown BIZ declared. “This is a chance to ask questions and learn from others who are stepping up and taking the lead on these important downtown issues.”

We shall see if the Biz not only allows voices to be heard, but actually listens to an outraged public and Biz members and learns something itself.

Or, if the anticipated throngs of associated lapdog agencies and lobby groups try to dominate the forum narratives in lockstep with, as Scott Price of CKUW calls it, the media oligarchy.

And the news script concluded, that police explained, "it's hard to predict who may have firearms and when they might be used".

How comforting, for parents whose kid go out trick or treating or to community parties, let alone their older kids who go to bars and socials. Just in time for the cops to admit, they have lost control of the streets of this city. Lovely.

It is notable how many of the killings and stabbings this year have been open-air, rather than inside dingy apartments or 1 star hotel rooms on Main Street.

Instead CTV did a 180, following the Exchange District murder with a glowing upbeat cheerleader piece about the opening of the new airport, mentioning that "problems with the underground pipes" led to a one year delay , but not connecting the delay to any increase in cost -- although the cost had been mentioned too.

Zacharias showed that only the most serious of crimes- such as, oh, people being shot - made the daily press releases.

"In September 2011 the Winnipeg Police Service issued 26 News Releases. In those 26 news releases, however, the Service made reference to only 10 of the 787 offences reported on Crimestat during September... During the month of September, 59 of the 111 muggings reported city-wide were committed in District 1, which encompasses the downtown area. "

North end blogger Rae Butcher, who has fought tooth and nail for accountability and proper information about her own street, noted how important measures of public safety such as stabbings are under-reported as robberies on Crimestat and arsons are not calculated into Crimestat at all.

"What is the actual purpose of the CrimeStat map on the WPS website? Is it to arm citizens with valuable information on crimes being committed throughout Winnipeg? Or is it designed to create illusions of Winnipeg as City Hall sees fit?"

She also enumerated recent PR and non-emergency bulletins issued by police email last Friday which the number of which dwarfed the real news. (Not to mention what Tom Brodbeck of the Sun has to say about the real news downtown and Mayor Katz.)

The time has come for the revival of placing someone the press and public can trust to meaningful compile press releases and reports with some basic comprehension that the idea is to report on crimes, not to promote Chief McCaskill's social work agenda and manipulative style (like when drinking parties turn bad, and the official lingo is " they were socializing".)

The time has come for a civilian spokesman who understands what the public needs to and wants to know, and to assign the officers to what we paid to train them to do - be cops and deal with crime and criminals , not with keyboards and microphones.

As of CTV, the segue to the weather was "I don't want to say we dodged a bullet yesterday - but we did"

You'd think on a weekend when 2 men are gunned down and a 14 year old gets dropped in broad daylight on Selkirk Avenue and barely survives, CTV would have thought thru how their "happy-chat" clever-word quotient would be expressed under the circumstances.

And you'd hope someone in the MSM will ask, what role the police chopper played in the response to any of the 3 (known) shootings this weekend. If any.

Friday, October 28, 2011

"It's an important debate that needs to happen", explains CKUW assistant news director Scott Price about why he tried to get Downtown Biz honcho Stefano Grande to tackle the issue of downtown safety mano-a-mano with urban affairs blogger Brian Kelcey on live radio.

But as the host of the thrice weekly morning show People of Interest tells TGCTS, "His first response, I just shook my head. "There's no debate with the Biz, there's only moving forward." What the heck does that mean?"

"I have little to zero journalistic training, but that doesn't mean I don't know the issues" states Price, who chased Grande by Twitter, email and phone to appear on the show on October 17 to no avail. "We're not idiots", Price exclaims, believing that Grande "probably didn't want, as knowledgeable as Brian Kelcey is, isn't something Stefano wanted to do on a Monday morning".

What he, as a citizen journalist sees of the Downtown Biz, is "this strategic, tactful, trying to sidestep things put on the teflon so things don't stick approach" that fails to recognize that Grande's suggestion to go on CKUW to talk about topics such as housing was insufficient at best and insulting at worst.

"If we're talking about downtown residents, crime and safety is at the top of the list ... Our audience is Downtown, West Broadway, west end. To me, when the Biz was evasive, these people give us their money ($50,000) every year to keep us as a media source, every year, there's a disconnect there, maybe Mr. Grande doesn't realize that."

Price admits that even at 6'2" and over 200 lbs, it was "heads up hockey" out there, going so far as saying he and his friends as a rule plan to "only make 1 beer run" to avoid being jacked leaving the Sherbrook Hotel vendor. In our exclusive interview, he is as unimpressed by the Downtown Biz' CEO Sleepover stunt as we were, and also criticizes, as we had, the charade of City of Winnipeg public consultations for the Sherbrook bike lanes and the Our Winnipeg open houses.

Campus radio certainly "gets it" when compared to what Price saw as the mainstream newsroom "oligarchy".

Also on the Friday podcast:

A review of the racist attack on the Okay Groceries supermarket (3 blocks from Health Sciences Centre) by radical supporters of the deceased shoplifter Geraldine Beardy yesterday, leads TGCTS to ask serious questions.

Will Justice Minister Andrew Swan and the police brass will take action to crack down on vigilantiism against the Korean storeowner after charges against him were dropped? Or does the store have to have the windows smashed out or be torched by arsonists first.

Thursday, October 27, 2011

None of the mainstream media outlets took a moment to actually look into the details of the Manitoba Securities Commission decision allowing 8 Crocus Fund Directors to walk away without being held accountable or expressing any remorse for allowing inflated shares in the labour fund to be sold without the required checks and balances being followed by the Board, that would have protected trusting Manitobans from being fleeced.

How did the MSC think that suspending their ability to do anything like it again -- for a year -- is any kind of sanction or protects the public?

We took the time to read it over.

Since not one newsroom seems to have actually named the Directors - can they be called guilty? I think they can because they admitted to breaching the Act by not adhering to the Prospectus - TGCTS will name names:

It is a sickening reminder of how under the NDP white-collar crime that would result in a stint in the penitentary in the US is absolved in Manitobastan by compliant regulators after hearing pleas that 'the lawyers advised us' and 'the accounting firm said it was ok'. (Ever heard of Enron, any of you ?)

- backroom infighting between parties unnamed in the documentation (but who were longtime Crocus CEO Sherman Kreiner and new executives Chief Operating Officer Laurie Goldberg and Chief Investment Officer John Pelton - please note I mis-guessed the CIO in this narrative on this podcast as being Albert Black which will be corrected on the next podcast);

- and the pathetic excuses of the 8 directors subject to the Order whom, although all promoters of the Fund and highly educated professionals, were seemingly out of their depth on how to discharge their responsibilities properly when it came to actually running the Fund as Directors of the Board.

Listen to our walk-thru of the details, and in particular the discovery of a glaring irregularity in the documentation. And I mean glaring.

Also on the agenda today:* The Simkin Centre pulled an Olga Fuga and declared the Annual General Meeting over when the tough questions about the abuse of the elderly and a closed-shop Board nomination process started piling up. This was a shameful way for a Jewish organization to abandon their duty to the community.

* Don't forget tomorrow's special episode, focusing on the Air Canada memo fall-out and the relationship between the Downtown Biz and its critics, featuring a special interview with a citizen journalist who pulls no punches in describing the sad state of civic "debate" in Winnipeg and the dismissive attitude of the Biz to the community.

Please note that on Friday, we are scheduling a special about the Air Canada memo, the war of words between realists and pollyanna's, and the attitude adjustment needed by the Downtown Biz to truly get a handle on the crime and safety problems downtown.

That episode will feature an exclusive interview with a citizen journalist, who explains why it is indisputable they represent a neglected segment of the community. Wait till you hear what he has to say about the players and the political game, the message he has for Stefano Grande, and how remarkably similar his observations and experiences are, to the positions taken and causes championed by TGCTS for the past 5 years.

Far from being on the wrong track, we were right on the money about the issues and the role of campus radio to raise awareness and create a sense of community, regardless of what Red River College censors like Cathy Rushton and Graham Thomson thought.